


To Repay A Debt

by havesomegdfaith



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 08:39:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18312107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/havesomegdfaith/pseuds/havesomegdfaith
Summary: This one is based on a request from tumblr!Instead of Arthur going out to collect Strauss' debts, it was Javier's turn. Little did he know what would happen when he chose to bring the indebted mother along with her child back to camp.





	1. Prologue

The work of a loan shark wasn’t really Javier’s favorite thing to do. He hated collecting debts - especially from those who were really in desperate need of money. He knew how it was to be at rock bottom. And yet was he on his way to this woman. A young mother, Strauss had told him - great. Knowing that didn’t help a bit.

She lived on a farm and worked apparently as temporary help, giving her another reason to approve Strauss’ terrible conditions. Javier felt already like turning back, saying that she hadn’t been there once he’d arrived, but he knew they needed the money - as much as this woman did.

The houses and fields of the farm came into view, making the knot in Javier’s stomach twist and turn. He lit a cigaret and took a long drag while Boaz was trotting steadily on the site, approaching one of the smaller houses, inhabited by the helpers.

The house didn’t look like much, but it was better to have a shabby roof over one’s head than having no home at all. Javier dismounted, racked up Boaz and stubbed out his cigaret. 

Men and women were bustling about, heading inside and outside the houses and the stables - making Javier stand out even more than he had already done. He knocked, even though the door was a gap wide open. It only seemed right to do so - there was no use getting on the woman’s bad side right from the get-go. 

“Hello? Anyone in there?”, he paused, glimpsing inside through the gap. The room was small and crowded with make-shift beds, a table, and some old chairs. Didn’t look like a place to him where a young mother should live. “Hello? I’m looking for-,” suddenly the door was opened wide and Javier took one step back, his hands holding tightly to his belt buckle.

A young woman - maybe 22 or 25 tops - was standing before him, holding a small bundle pressed to her chest. She smiled kindly at him, even though Javier could see how stressed and tired she was. Her light brown hair wasn’t that neatly tied together anymore - several strands of hair were hanging loosely, framing her face. Her blue blouse bore several stains. But her grey eyes were crystal clear and sparkling. 

“Can I help you, mister?”, her voice was soft as if she was trying not to wake the babe in her arms - but it was in vain. The small bundle stirred and Javier flinched ever so slightly as he heard the quiet blubbering of the child. She must be the one he was looking for.

“Sorry to intrude, miss, but are you Bethany Reed?” It felt like a kick in the teeth when the baby finally cried out and the mother struggled to calm the baby down while trying to answer him.

“I am. Can- shhh, honey, shh - can I help you?” Her eyes had grown wide - Javier couldn’t tell if it dawned on her what he could possibly want from her.

“You know a man called Leopold Strauss? He had loaned you money some time ago. I-,” the child’s crying had become ear-splitting. Why did Strauss have to ask him? Couldn’t he have sent someone like Bill? 

Miss Reed went back inside, leaving the door open. “Please come in, mister. I have to get her to bed - one second.” She went to the far side of the room to where a make-shift crib stood. The crying stopped nearly immediately as the child hit the cushions. 

The young woman left the baby behind her and returned to Javier, her arms crossed over her chest. “I know why you’re here,” she sighed deeply, looking down at the ground with those steely grey eyes that Javier found somehow enticing. She was pretty, he had to admit - which, once again, didn’t help one bit - but she was very thin under these worn clothes of her.

“I have the money,” she went over to her cot, rummaging through her very few things and pulled a money clip out from a duffle bag.

He stood there like he was pinned to the ground, he couldn’t move or say anything - nothing would flatter the fact that he was doing the devil’s work. Miss Reed hold the money out towards Javier, her hand slightly trembling as she was waiting for him to finally take it.

He swallowed, staring at her outstretched hand - the wrist was quite thin - and got overwhelmed by the noises outside: horses whinnied, sheep bleated, people shouted, laughed or groaned. He hated this job.

“When was the last time you ate, miss?” The money was still in her hand. He didn’t make a move to take it.

“I-,” she paused, shook her head, “what’s it to you?” Her tone wasn’t unkind, just confused. He was a loan shark, why should he care - right? Well, he did care. Quite much, actually.

“Do you have anyone you could live with?” Javier’s eyes met hers. “The kid’s father?” 

Slowly, she shook her head, still confused by what was happening. “We’re alone.”

Another kick in the teeth. “Ay…” He rubbed his forehead with the one hand, while his other one was still holding onto his belt buckle. 

He got an idea. Maybe a stupid one, but an idea nonetheless.

“You like traveling, miss?”


	2. Colter

The last time she had witnessed such a snowstorm must have been years ago. And it was not like she had missed it. Charlotte was hidden under several layers of blankets and jackets, tightly pressed to her chest. The backside of Beth’s head hit the wagon’s canvas as they drove over a bump on the snowy ground. The toddler stirred but continued to sleep. 

“You two still alive, Beth?” Mary-Beth asked, huddled together with Karen opposite her and Molly, who clung to her right arm like a lifeline. Warmth wasn’t easy to come by in these climes. Especially in this cold, dark night.

“We’re fine. She’s sleeping like a log,” Beth put a hand over her daughter’s little head. The journey really challenged the three-year-old. But Charlotte was resilient, had been ever since. Not that there had been any chance for the girl to be weak. Fatherless and with a mother who was life-long indebted to a gang of outlaws that took her in a few years ago, saving her from starvation and worse. 

There had been literally no reason for Dutch and Hosea to include the two of them. Beth had already been indebted to them, thanks to Strauss’ loan. But something must have softened them up on that sunny day when Javier had brought her and Charlotte to the hidden camp, vouching for the sad duo. Since then Beth had been doing her chores without any complain, doing her best to keep baby Charlotte quiet as to not disturb anyone in camp and do everything within her power to repay the gang’s generosity - especially Javier’s. 

Another unevenness on the ground knocked the wagon’s passengers flying. 

“How hard can it be to drive this damn thing without hitting every single bump on the ground?” Karen snarled, her pulled-up scarf muffling her words.

The vehicle slowed before any of the women could answer. “Why are we slowing down?” Molly asked, ducking her head to look through the coachman’s seat on which Mr. Pearson and Lenny were perched. 

“We found shelter! Everyone come inside!” Someone shouted from further ahead. People were dismounting their horses or jumping down the wagons.

Charles appeared at the wagon’s end, helping the women down one by one. Karen and Mary-Beth went first, then Molly. Beth handed her the light before sitting down on the edge, hopping down with Charles’ support. 

“How’s Charlotte? You two alright?” he asked, his voice soft against the jittery noise of the others. His hand lied comfortingly around her shoulder as he helped her through the deep snow over to the cabins, eerily lighted up by the warm light of the few lanterns. 

“She’s strong, we’ll pull through,” Beth managed a small smile - it warmed her heart to see how people were actually worried about her and Charlotte. “How’s your hand?” She tilted her head, looking up at the man who just shrugged nonchalantly.

“Charles! Could you get horses for Dutch and Arthur?” Hosea awaited the two of them at the door, lantern in hand. “Sure,” and with that he handed Beth over to the older man, vanishing in the dark. 

——–

“Wish I could just sleep through all of this,” Javier said as he watched Beth tightening the blanket around her child’s body. 

“Who wouldn’t?” She threw him a sideglance and chuckled. Charlotte had been awake but not for long. Not that she could do much around here. Colter wasn’t really safe for children. Even Jack, who was older than her, was cooped up in the cabin they had moved into. Besides, Beth felt safer with Charlotte in her sight.

“You’ve eaten yet?” Javier changed the topic, playing with his knife. Beth swatted his hand away, jerking her chin in the direction of her daughter, shaking her head.

“No, but have you?” She asked in return. He worried too much. He always had - ever since she had joined the van der Linde gang. She was thankful for it, she truly was. But sometimes it felt like he was forgetting about himself while thinking too much about her and Charlotte’s well-being. 

Sometimes she wondered why he still cared so much. He had already given her the greatest gift - a family. A life. And yet he continued to give, never asking for anything in return. But Beth gave everything she could. She worked extra shifts just to mend his ripped shirts or wash his clothes, brought him food when he was on guard duty and kept him company on long nights.

And it never felt like it was her duty to do so. She liked him, very much so. Everything she did for him, she did it with pleasure. Yet it never felt like it was enough. That it would repay her debt to him. For he had saved both hers and her daughter’s life.

She snapped out of her thoughts when Javier answered, sounding like a sulky boy: “No, but I’m no mother with a three-year-old child that I have to look after.” He nudged her side with his elbow. 

She sighed defeatedly. He had a point. “Alright, alright. But I’m going to get you something too.” Javier nodded, happy with her answer. “Keep an eye on her, will you?” Beth pointed at the sleeping bundle in the crib Hosea had put upon her joining the gang. It was getting small, but it was better than sleeping on the cold ground.

“Sure,” he leaned over, slightly rocking the construction as Beth left to fetch some stew.

——–

“Can we get some help here?”

“We need some help!”

Beth was sitting in front of the window, watching the snow fall, as she heard the voices. Then the two riders appeared in front of the cabin.

“Can we get some help?”

“Jack, will you watch Charlotte for me?” She got up from her seat, quickly moving over to Abigail who had nodded off a while ago, waking her with a squeezing hand on her shoulder. “There back.”

The two women were followed by the rest of the present gang members outside. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it was still quite dark. And cold. A shiver ran down Bethany’s spine once the wind ripped on her clothes. She really started to hate winter.

“You’re alive! Oh, you’re alive!” Abigail shouted as she approached John. Some of the men helped him down the horse and into the hut. “Thank you! Thank you both!”

Beth stepped out of the group’s way, looking for Javier and Arthur. “You two okay? Need anything?” Another shiver ran down her spine and she hugged herself tightly, waiting for the men’s answers.

“We’re good. Get back inside,” Arthur said before being interrupted by Hosea and Strauss. Javier waved her away as she looked at him. She nodded once and hurried after the others back inside the warmth of the building.

——–

It was in the early hours of the new day when the posse came back to camp. Not that Beth had slept. Charlotte had caught a cold - nothing serious, but the permanent sleep? Over. She was coughing and sneezing, just like Jack. Abigail and Beth hadn’t got a night’s full sleep for some time now. Being a mother wasn’t easy, especially with no husband by their side.

Arthur was still missing, but according to Dutch he’d join them later. They had to pack and load up the wagons. Apparently, the train robbery had gone just fine. The first bit of luck in far too long.

“Need any help with that?” Beth stopped to drag an extra large box over to the wagons when Javier stepped into her way.

“Sure, thanks.” She wiped the sweat off her brow, straightening her aching back. 

The man stepped beside her, picking the box up, wincing in the process. “Woah, hey. Need any help with that?” Beth imitated him, her hands up, ready to step in.

Javier chuckled but nodded. With joined forces, they heaved the box over into the wagon.

“Want to tell me what causes your little qualm there?” Bethe tilted her head, bright eyes glinting in the sun. Finally some sun! 

“Fell from a train.” He murmured, scratching the back of his neck.

“What?” Beth stopped dead in her tracks, not sure if she should laugh or be worried.

“It’s fine, Beth. Just a bruise.”

“I can take a look at it,” heat crept up her neck, “later,” she added quickly, noticing Javier’s surprise. 

But before he could answer, little Charlotte hit against her legs, getting tangled up in her skirts. “Mummy!” A fit of coughing interrupted her, making Beth furrow her brows. She really needed to ask Hosea for his recipe so she could make her daughter some of the medicine on her own. He had already helped her so much these past few days.

“What’s wrong, honey?” Beth picked her up, balancing her on her hip.

“Will uncle Javier drive with us?” She craned her neck to look into her mother’s eyes. Grey meeting brown.

“I don’t know, will he?” Beth looked over to Javier, who had crossed his arms over his chest, watching the two of them from under the brim of his hat. 

“Next time, chiquita. Gotta help Dutch.” He ruffled her hair affectionately.

Charlotte pouted but nodded, starting to cough again.

Alright, enough. Time to look for Hosea. Maybe she could join his wagon.


End file.
